The U.S. Air Force said that it would retire its A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft in key regions including South Korea by the fiscal year 2025 in favour of advancing fourth-generation fighter jet upgrades.

The U.S. military will decommission its aging fleet of A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft stationed in South Korea by the fiscal year 2025 following a 42-year service, its Air Force said Tuesday, portraying the planned retirement as a transition to "cutting-edge" upgrades.

The U.S. Air Force’s sixth-generation NGAD fighter program has been paused due to its high unit cost of $300 million and concerns about outdated design requirements. -Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall emphasized re-evaluating NGAD’s concept amid evolving threats and budgetary constraints,

China debuted the J-35A jet at an airshow that was attended by a senior Russian national security official, underlining Beijing’s ever-closer bonds with Moscow.